Friday, June 26, 2009

Was actually looking out to read reports of his concerts which were stated to resume in July. And I always wished I could have seen him perform live at least once. And wished that Rahman sir and he would come out with a song or even better, an album.I wish that he will come back and liveexperience a better life, meet and be with better people, who are actually human and have angels for parents .

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Happened to finally start working out three months ago though my membership dates back 16.It took me a year to turn up at the gym after repeated text messages and "what are we to do with your membership" calls.My trip to the Himalayas (which never happened in the first place and how I regret it) became the impetus. My trip advisor told us it is necessary to buy some gear and break in the shoes. And get fit for all the trekking. First I thought I ll go jogging by the beach early morning. I romanced the idea. Watching the sun rise, fresh air to breathe, waves rolling in and out..... sigh. But then all these rumours of a Tsunami did not help and also with a morning radio show at that point in time, it was impossible. I was already waking up too early and I do not think I would be left in peace to jog by the waves at 4:30 in the morning. Who am I kidding anyway, I live in India. I enrolled my mom at the gym first and decided to start off as well.If I were asked to give advice, I would probably say, start a good exercise routine. (I promise you, your lifestyle definitely changes for the better once you pump some iron. OK I am not really pumping any but that's old style to say I am working out. And I like that old style thingerie sometimes)But when you do and if you happen to take up one of the umpteen packages that fitness centers offer these days, you better take it in writing from them about what exactly is.After a few days and once you are a member it is very easy - and convenient - for them to forget what they promised you in the first place.Also there is one more thing I do not understand. This came from another friend. She signs up for a 3 month membership and then she falls sick and does not get to go for two months. She goes back to the gym and they tell her sorry, you need to pay up if you have to use the facilities. Otherwise you should have given a letter to "freeze" the membership until you are back. A lot of her hard earned money went down the drain. They for their own advantage would not accept a letter from the hospital or her doc. Of course I agree enough of these certificates are "doctored" but what the hell? In addition to falling sick and all the other things you need to take care of, you need to remember to tell the gym, hey I am sick and I wont be back for a said number of days, please extend my membership.In our country a lot of people are super charged about starting such places, in this case, a good fitness center or even a salon with well trained staff means you start making money from the word go or so I think, considering the number of people traipsing in and out of such places. But the people who start these businesses almost all of them seem to forget this one and perhaps the most essential thing. Of being a little gracious to the ones who put the bread, butter or maybe I should say fat free margarine, sugar free marmalade on the table for the owner and the employees of an organization. Taking into account fitness centers have people signing in up in numbers usually more than 1. People keep telling you that you need a gym partner. Otherwise you won't really show up at the gym. I turn my nose up at that concept but then one additional person gets pulled into a fitness routine and the gym gets richer. All good.Coming back, at different points in time I used to wonder why some people argued with the management at such centers and at several other places too but I now think we all need to do that. Perhaps there need not be a hue and cry but we all know that we get embarrassed asking for what we deserve.But I think its time, high time infact to be assertive consumers and ask more questions, your gut and fears notwithstanding, about the products that we buy, the services we sign up for and everything else. Be plucky. Like someone said, millions saw the apple fall. I am sure they saw loads of other things fall too. But only Newton asked why (the apple fell that is. I do not think I should misquote history). And that made all the difference. The power of one is huge. And I wish you recognize it, revel in it and assert it, hopefully to also answer the call of righteousness and justice.Signing off, I ll say take fitness seriously. And once you start following a regimen, you become a different person. You look great and you feel great. Your system is good. Your heart starts singing. Try it out. I wanted to tell you after I had been consistent at it. And also there is some such thing as saying too much too early. And I didn't want to blab too soon.So, if you are thinking of paying up even at a famous or reputed gym, read the fine print, ask a lot of questions and don't help the management forget the perks they offered you. More than anything else, you must remember. Because they ll convince you that have forgotten everything. If you are suffering from STM loss, work out and skip that cup of coffee. Some study somewhere says that is because of coffee, of modern times I guess, that makes us forget things.Have fun :)

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Happened the past weekend. Decided to show up for something after quite some dismal times.And that was the right thing to do.They had come up with the idea of getting Singers and Music Directors to turn up and walk the ramp. Right from Madhumitha, her sister Charulatha, Srilekha, Suchitra, Deepa Miriam (of Kangal Irandaal), Sumangali, Mahathi and Shwetha Mohan, Benny Dayal, Rahul Nambiar, Ranjith, Krish, Karthik, Vijay Yesudas, Naresh Iyer and Belli Raj made up the singers. Ms Rohini, Bobo Shankar who has composed for Kulir and James Vasanthan represented the composers. FYI, I wasn't part of the gala on stage but I cheered from the first row.And believe me, I think to be a part of the audience was the best thing. Its funner.:) Though I usually take the womens' side the men somehow stole the thunder. And the best amongst the singers walking the ramp IMHO was definitely Vijay Yesudas. Enough attitude to give a professional model a run for his money. Benny and Krish were brilliant too. And the three got the maximum cheering from the audience. Suchitra looked super professional amongst the women - her fitness regime definitely shows. And I think she must have taken some kind of a Markandeya Varam or something for eternal youth :D She looks even younger than she looked several years ago.But overall I think the new kids on the ramp had super fun and we were given to understand that the choreographer was pretty impressed with all the singers. Vijay Adiraj hosted the show and really there aren't too many like him in India who can pep a live audience.Khushboo cast her first votes to choose her favorite stars. And if you would like to do so, I guess there is an option of voting online. The invite says, you could do so at www.bharatstudent.com, but for the life of me I cannot see where the link is, if there is one.There is a promotional truck going around and there is a talent hunt also and 10 winners will be trained by Srinivas sir.As for the awards, its quite a huge list and I found my name under Chinnamma Chilakamma and Avarampoo. I think there are songs chosen from every movie that released last year. Or so I think.The grand finale happens on the 11th July.The post event party was enlivening as well and we finally found our smiles back. Got an opportunity to speak with Vijay Anthony and he keeps proving time and again that he is quite a forthright person and stands for his beliefs. Met up with other several people I had not seen in ages. Photographers I had met at the beginning of my career, journalists as well. Also happened to meet the cameraman who was first part of the team that had me, the director and cameraman. Remembered the good times we had and the funnest times was with this cameraman called Saravanan who prefers to be known as "Aryan". Shooting with him had always been a super happy time along with Rajkumar because he used to keep tripping on Saravanan and all that I could do was prevent myself from rolling on the floor laughing. I realize that no matter what happens if we somehow remember to hang on only to the good memories, remember the good people, things are much better. But yes, it takes a while to forgive and forget the instances that make the bad ones. But once that is achieved there is a lot more peace.The pictures are up on Galatta and Behindwoods have a look and God bless

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

There are times in your life where your belief and the trust in people especially in the professional scenario is shattered to an extent that you think that the ground beneath you has cracked. It is happening to me for the second time this year. When the people you look up to, respect and trust to a fault turn out to be otherwise I wonder what life is all about. I followed some professional advice implicitly and all I see is a brilliant web I find myself in. We couldn't see it being spun. All because of trusting to the extent of not questioning anyone or even double checking. When my mother's instincts went into alarm mode, we decided to get into verifying the goings-on and are currently gaping to see the outcome and wondering how things came to pass. It happened once at the beginning of this year and it has happened again. And at this point in time, I hope and pray that this will be for the last ever time.

I realize that when I attempt to push the envelope in everything that I do and strive to go where no one has, as a student of music or anything that I might do, I realize that upsets a lot of people. That has been quite a constant in my life and my mother's.Someday when I really become a true achiever, if and when I decide to write a biography of my mother's life and my role in hers and our collective experiences, the people we have seen, of course everything will be from a personal standpoint it could probably be a quite a wake-up call for most people. And for a lot of them, it might not be something new at all.But now it makes me wiser. At one point in time, an expert on the stars predicted that I would not trust a soul in this world and would be super cautious. Then and actually to an extent even now it seems far fetched as my basic makeup is to trust and not doubt. I'd rather trust in the innate good that people have rather than be warped.But perhaps I am heading towards the realization of that prediction, perhaps it was more like counsel.I cannot and do not think I will be able to elucidate further, but to you, the reader of this blog, in a very silent way you contribute to a facet of my life. And there are some of you who make yourselves heard in the comments, there are a couple of things that I would like to share. Take it, maybe, with the proverbial pinch of salt.I have learnt that nothing matters more than honesty, dignity, values and ethics. Even when tested, hold ground. My mom's life has been an example and continues to be. My grandad was another person who stood for values and honesty. Of course I would never know anyone else as well as I have seen my mother and her experiences. I have been taught and belong to the same mould. I also realize that when you are on the path of being straightforward, there are fewer people who like you and fewer people that compliment you on the way you are made because it upsets their pattern of life. But nonetheless, I can promise you that when this lifetime as you ends, you are not going to be wondering how many people you have pleased or what kind of a good certificate you have got. You would only be reflecting on the times spent, and no one else matters. And if at that point you were dissatisfied with what you have done and the choices you have made, you are going to be coming back to the same plane, presented with the same choices until you learn to make the right choices. That which is just and that which is righteous.And another thing, we are all blessed with something called a gut feeling. Something that the learned will call "the voice of the higher intelligence". When something does not feel right, even if you are asked to make a certain choice or do something by someone you hold in high regard, trust your instinct first. And if your parents are blessed with it, follow that. You are your own counsel and judge. More often than not, you would be right. Trust yourself and to be able to have the guts to listen to your inner voice, they say meditation helps. I don't meditate myself but I guess my music practice sessions come close to that. Nonetheless I am going to be trying this soon.No matter how tough things might be, trust yourself, trust your choices and decisions when they perhaps landed you in hot water, own up and get into damage control. And do not regret that you decided to do something. It had to come to pass and it is OK. Trust in the creator and if there are times that seem difficult, though I pray for you that you may never really have times that are very difficult - they could perhaps just skim the surface and show you a "Jhalak" but no more - hold ground, do the right thing and may God be with you.And as I have said before, my blog is sometimes reflective. And most of the passages here I tell myself because I guess I want to hear this. This is more or less a blog to myself. But also to youGod bless and take care.

Monday, June 01, 2009

the new Pothys ad featuring Sathyaraj and Seetha. I think it looks super and love the Tamil. I think they should do a movie as King and Queen.I am a fan of this ad. Wonder when period films will be made again. But with gargantuan budgets I guess that is going to be a tough one to manage.Talking of movies I totally think Hugh Dancy is super dishy. I see I have a pattern of liking the Hugh first names. Hugh Grant Jackman (!!) and now Hugh Dancy. Of course Hugh Jackman will be number 1 coz of Kate and Leopold and not to mention X Men.Hugh Dancy, guess I saw him first on Ella Enchanted and the Jane Austen Book Club. And now Confessions of a Shopaholic. Super cute. Guess there is hope in the world.For those girls cribbing that there is no eye candy around, there is still hope. Until then lets settle for the movies. After all art imitates life and if God made Jackman and Dancy there must be someone closer home ;)